Charles lewis wise



(No Model.)

0. L. WISE.

REGEPTAGLE FOR KEEPING PRESS COPYING PADS MOIST. No. 881,454. Patented Apr. 17, 1888.

U ITED STATES PATENT OrrrcEo CHARLES LEYVIS WVISE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

RECEPTACLE FOR KEEPING PRESS-COPYING PADS MOIST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent. No. 381,454, dated April 17, 1888.

I Application filed February 21, 1887. Serial No. 228,360. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES Lnwrs W'IsE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Receptacles for Keeping Press-Copying Pads Moist, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to accessories of the letterpress, whereby the manipulation of presscopying letters, 850., is facilitated; and the object of the invention is to devise means for preserving, in readiness for immediate use, the copying pads or sheets of blotting-paper intended to be employed in dampening the tissue-sheets of the copying-book which re: ceive the impressions from the manuscript of which copies are desired.

The invention consists of a receptacle of original design constructed to receive and maintain in a dampened condition, ready for instant use, a number of suitable pads or sheets of blotting-paper for press-copying purposes, the peculiarities of said receptacle and the features of novelty which it embraces being hereinafter described, and pointed outin the claims at the end of the description.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, and in which like features are indicated by like letters in the several views, Figure l is an elevation in perspective of my said device in its closed condition. Fig. 2 is an open end elevation showing it in a closed position. Fig. 3 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 2, with the door and pad-holder swung down upon its hinges. Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line 00 a: of Fig. 3, showing the construction of the pad-holder; and Fig. 5 is an open end elevation of a modifled structure, hereinafter described.

I am aware that blotter baths or receptacles for keeping press-copying pads in a moist state have long been in use; but my invention,while having for its object thesame general purpose as the previously-devised blotter-baths, acts upon the principle of absorption, the blotters or pads, in the ordinary employment of the device, not being placed in direct contact with the saturating-fluid.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates the case of my receptacle, its shape being preferably that shownin Fig. 1, with a comparatively broad base, a, whereby a substantial seatingsurface is offered, and a somewhat narrower upright portion, 1), above the. base a. This case may be made of any suitable material; but metal is deemed preferable.

B is a door hinged to the base a, as shown, and provided with a knob, G, to facilitate its being opened and closed. The upper end of the door B is turned inward, as at (1, while its lower end, 6, which projects within the base a, is curved outward, as shown. The object of forming the parts (I e as described is to as sist in forming tightjoiuts at the top and bottom of the door when the latter is closed. The inner surface of the door 13 is provided With projecting side walls, f, of several inches in depth, which extend to the top of the turned-in portion (2, and below to about on a plane with the top of the base a. Secured be tween the walls .f and extending below them is the rack or pad support 9, which comprises a series of bent wires, h, and the strengthening-rods Secured by a link-joint, k, to the interior of the back of the receptacle A is the compression-board Z,which is supported in an extended position by the coiled springs m. It is thus an elastic compression-board capable of being forced inward toward the back of the case A when pressure is exerted upon its face.

In making use of this device suitable pads or sheets of blotting-paper cut to the required size, to the number of as many as may be conveniently placed within the rack g, are stood on their edges within said rack, being prevented from falling through the rack by the bent wires h. The wires it will be placed some distance apart in devices which are to contain blotters that are required to be well saturated, but quite close together if the degree the pads are to be kept moist is not very considerable, my experiments having demonstrated the necessity for observing this rule in making the devices for practical use. When the rack g has been filled with blotters, the door B is closed tightly, thus making the case A practically an air-tight compartment, and the base a of the receptacle having been supplied with water to about the level shown in Fig. 2, or just below the bottom of rack y when the door ion 2 I 381,454 r x Bis shut, the process of saturating the blotters by absorption of water from the moist atmosphere begins. The blotters are held sufficiently compressed against the inner surface of the. door B by the compression-board Z, acted upon by the springs m, as explained.

It requires but a comparatively short time for the blotters to become thoroughly moistened by the use of this device, and by using the moistened blotters systematically,one after another, and keeping the reservoir within the base a properly supplied with water, the blotters will always be in admirable condition for immediate service.

In Fig. 5 I show a double device having all the characteristics of the device shown in Fig. 2, but with compartments for pads and doors on both sides of the case. One side may have its blotter-rack made more open at the bottom than the othert. e., its wire supports being farther apart. The latter can be used for blotters for type-writer work, requiring more moisture, and the former for blotters for penwork. In this view there is also shown a sponge in the water-reservoir, which may be found desirable when more effective saturation of the blotters is desired than may be attained by the omission of the sponge, which object is reached by adjusting the sponge so that the bottoms of the racks come in contact therewith preferably only at one point. p My device will be found a useful adjunct to the copying-press and one of the most satisfactory plans of utilizing the moist blotter-pad in pressing copying-manuscript.

I am aware of United States Patent No. 350,802, and I make no claim to the construction therein shown, as my invention differs essentially therefrom.

I do not claim to be the first inventor of a receptacle comprising a water-reservoir and a pair of blotter-holders constructed with racks at their bottoms and all within the same inclosure; but,

Having described my invention,what I claim as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1S

1. A receptacle for keeping press-copying pads or blotters moist, comprising a base serving as a seating-surface as well as a waterreservoir, and a rack or holder for the pads or blotters arranged in' a vertical position above the base of and within the sameinclosure as' said reservoir, whereby the pads or blotters are held edgewise above the surface of the water withinthe base of the reservoir, substantially as and for the purpose described. 2; The receptacle for keeping press-copying pads or blotters moist, comprising a base for water and a compartment having a door provided upon its inner surface with a rack for supporting the pads or blotters above the water in said reservoir, substantially as described.

3. The receptacle A, provided with a waterreservoir, in combination with an open-bottom vertical blotter-holder suspended, when in operative position, above the water in said reservoir and within the same inclosure, substantially as described. 4. The receptacle A, having a water-reservoir in its base, and a hinged door provided face, comprising side walls and a rack at the bottom thereof, substantially as set forth.

5. A receptacle for keeping press-copying pads or blotters moist, comprising a base which serves as a seating-surface and as a water-reservoir, anda blotter-holder located above said base within the same inclosure as pression-b'oard connected to the interior back with ablotter-compartment upon itsinner snr- 1 said reservoir, combined with a sponge within the water-reservoir, substantially assetforth;

of said receptacle by a linkjoint, substantially 2 as set forth. I

Signed at New York, in "the county of New York' and State of New York, this 17th day of February, A. D. 1887.

CHARLES LEWIS WISE.

Witnesses: JOHN I. OovINGToN,

GROVE P. MITCHELL, Jr. 

